Respiration is the inspiration as runners ascend 40 stories

As she climbs all 40 flights of the Rhodes Tower's stairs on Saturday, Miriam Siegfried will ignore her gasps for breath and think instead about what her brother endured.

Mark Leon Chait was 58 in 2014 when he died of interstitial lung disease, a progressive scarring of the lungs possibly caused by black mold in his apartment in northern California, Siegfried said.

That loss makes her participation in the annual Fight for Air Climb particularly meaningful.

“As I’m having trouble breathing at the top of 40 flights, I remember how he struggled to breathe,” said Siegfried, 57, a Hilliard resident. “It keeps me connected to his memory.”

Siegfried will be joined by more than 400 other climbers who are helping to raise money for the American Lung Association.

Since the first climb in Columbus in 2011, the event has raised $325,000, according to Brittany Sinzinger, development manager for the lung association’s Columbus office.

Although online registration is closed, those wishing to climb still can register from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the lung association office, 5900 Wilcox Place, Dublin; from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday at Columbus Brewing Co., 512 Short St., or beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Rhodes Tower.

Registration is $35; participants are required to raise $100.

This will be the fifth year that Siegfried has done the climb. In 2013, she was motivated by a niece who was battling a lung tumor (she recovered); also, Siegfried has fought asthma all her life.

“The treatments available for asthma now are remarkable,” she said. “It’s so much better than when I was suffering as a child, and I think research and development is so important to come up with treatments for chronic diseases.”

Sinzinger also has a personal connection to the cause: Nine-year-old son Matthew was diagnosed with asthma at age 2.

“He had a severe attack and almost died,” said the Delaware resident. “That’s how I first got involved with the lung association and this event.”

As if climbing 40 stories (880 stairs) is not enough, 17 people have signed up to be “Vertical Milers,” meaning they will climb the tower 10 times.

The Milers start at 5:30 a.m. so they will be done before the “regular” climb begins at 9. Sinzinger said the average time to complete the climb is 12 minutes.

Sinzinger, who stations herself on the 40th floor on climb day, said she enjoys seeing the reactions and emotions of people as they finish.

Every year, she is asked one question consistently:

“People ask me, 'Do we have to take the stairs back down?’” Sinzinger said. “I tell them, 'No, you can take the elevator.’”

kgordon@dispatch.com

@kgdispatch

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